Hobart woman Karen Street stands by banner that got her ejected from Bellerive Oval
Updated
A Hobart grandmother who unfurled a provocative banner at Sunday's AFL match at Bellerive remains unrepentant but says she will not be doing it again.
Key points:
- Karen Street is a candidate for the Senate
- Ms Street says her point has been made
- She says banners welcoming refugees were doing the same thing
Karen Street, of Rokeby, was ejected from the stadium by authorities after displaying the banner with the words #sendthemback during the North Melbourne-Demons clash.
The 55-year-old hit back at critics who called for her to be banned for life.
"A ban for life from the AFL for holding up a banner about freedom of speech... right there is what is wrong with our country today," she said.
"If having my say means going to a football match or any match and just holding up a sign in response to another political sign that's being held up, if they want to ban me for life, then so be it.
"I think it's a pretty poor excuse to ban someone from a stadium."
Ms Street said she was "surprised" by the reaction to the incident.
"I wouldn't [do it again]," she said.
"It was never my intention to do it more than once.
"My point has been made and that's where I'll leave it.
"As far as I'm concerned I was ejected from the ground and that's the end of the matter."
Ms Street is a lifelong North Melbourne supporter.
"I was fairly certain I was going to be evicted for taking in a banner," she said.
"But my banner was in protest to a banner that the North Melbourne Football Club, that I've supported for 50 years, held up at the start of their game a fortnight ago.
"That banner welcomed refugees, which in my opinion was a political statement.
"Why is it OK for the AFL or a club associated with the AFL to hold up a banner with their political views, but then a member of the public is ejected from the ground for doing the same thing."
The conditions of entry to an AFL venue forbids displaying political logos or signage.
It says anyone who contravenes the conditions of entry may "be ejected from the venue by an authorised event official".
Ms Street's actions were endorsed by the party.
Topics: government-and-politics, refugees, bellerive-7018
First posted
